The Opunake Times. "TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1895. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 116, 13 August 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times. "TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1895. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

We are in receipt of a Parliamentary paper giving correspondence which has been presented to the House in regard to the New Plymouth Harbor. The correspondence opens with a letter from the late chairman, Mr R. Cock; to the Colonial Treasurer, urging the Government to effect a conversion of the £172,000 worth of 6 per cent bonds, held in London, by substituting Government bonds at 4 per cent, provided the bondholders would accept the exchange at par, the Board being of opinion that they would do so; if not, then the chairman suggested that the £BO,OOO of Sinking Fund held might be utilised to make up the difference as premium required. This was rather an offhand proposal to dispose of the Sinking Fund without first consulting the ratepayers. Then comes correspondence between the Council of Foreign Bondholders and Government authorities, traversing ground with which ratepayers are pretty conversant through Mr McGuire’s addresses. The bondholders approached Lord Ripon, and he submits their complaints to the Agent-General. To all these appeals the Government turned a deaf ear, and refused to reconsider their position. During the visit of the Hon Mr Ward to Loudon the matter again cropped up, and the correspondence shows that the Government did not relish the situation. Mr Ward cabled Mr Seddon on April Bth : “ Result conference bondholders is proposal made by Council, arbitrate on single issue : ‘Was the 200,000 acres restored to natives part of endowment of Harbor Board ? ’ All other allegations being withdrawn. I recommend you agree to this. Think it desirable settle this vexed question.” Mr Beddon cabled in reply to this : “ Harbor Board proposal for arbitration waiting Cabinet action. Council simply repetition threat February 1892. See Lubbock’s letter that date.” It is here that the thimble and pea business comes in. Two months after these cables, and one month after the one and a half million loan was subscribed, the secretary of the Council of Foreign Bondholders addressed a letter to Mr Seddon, in which the following paragraph appears: “As the result of the conferences with him (Mr Ward) and the Agent-General it has been finally agreed that Mr Ward should recommend his Government to submit to arbitration the question : Whether the 200,000 acres of land returned to the natives in the Taranaki district, in 1882-88, formed part of the endowment of the Harbor Board, and consequently of the security pledged to the bondholders, or not ? It was first decided that Mr Ward should cable the Colonial Government on the matter, but it was suggested by the AgentGeneral that, as Mr Ward was about to return to the colony, it would be better to give him the opportunity of explaining the question fully to his colleagues. This proposal was agreed to, and we now hope to hear shortly from the Government that they are in accord with Mr Ward’s view's.” Poor simple Council of Bondholders, actually green enough to place reliance on a Minister’s word because he happened to be Colonial Treasurer of New Zealand. It was decided at the conference that Mr Ward should cable and obtain the consent of the Government to arbitration, but the AgentGeneral was too wary for that, and suggested waiting till Mr Ward’s return, when no doubt all sorts of golden promises were held out, and the loan successfully floated in the meantime. Mr Ward, however, did cable, and got a reply from Mr Seddon that he distinctly refused to allow any reference to arbitration. Judging by the paragraph quoted above, from the bondholders’ letter, he must have kept this reply to himself, and strung them along in their fools’ paradise, where they still are waiting and hoping soon to hear that the Government are in accord wuth Mr Ward’s views. Dov btless our high-souied administrators consider this smart finessing, but all honorable men must class it with the Chinaman’s art at euchre when he secre os the bower up his si eve. Had the Treasurer, when he received the Premier's ultimatum, notified the result to'the Council of Foreign Bondholder.-!, it would have left them a free ham! to take any action which they thought lit to protect their interests. When this Parliamentary return reaches them, which it most assuredly wil', wc are afraid their faith in Miuisteiial assurances wiT he about as great as that of the average colonial, who personally knows the men of whom Cabinets are manufactured in New 7 Zealand.

Mr Newton King sells stock at Stony River to-morrow.

Mr W. D. Scott notifies withdrawal of auction sale of property. Messrs Nolan, Tonks and Co notify entries for the stock sale next Tuesday.

Tenders are called for falling CO acres of bush on Eltham Road, near Awatuna.

Tenders are called for the erection of a porch to the teacher’s residence, Opunake.

The lease of sections in the town are to be sold by auction to-morrow at New Plymouth.

Messrs Nolan, Tonks and Co notify sale by public auction of an interest in an estate near Kaponga. Mr W. Pettigrew notifies that a mare and foal running in his paddock will be sold to defray expenses.

Mr Newton King notifies a clearing sale of dairy stock on behalf of Mr W. J. Gray, at Stony River, on Friday, 23rd August. Tenders for the lease of a dairy farm at Punehu, on the Eltham,Road, close on-Fri-day next. Messrs Elwin and Wells left by coach on Monday morning for Wellington in connection with the West Coast Lessees League.

Tire s.s. Catterthun was wrecked on the Australian coast on last Wednesday, and 60 lives were lost.

Mr W. D. Scott reports the sale of Section 31, Block 13, Opunake Survey District, containing 200 acres, from Mr A. Campbell to Mr Charles Cameron.

Dr Pairman intimates that he will resume his visits to Opunake on the first and third Wednesdays in each month, when he may be consulted at Kennedy’s Hotel. Mrs Dean, the baby farmer and child murderer, was executed yesterday morning at Invercargill, death being instantaneous. She declared on the scaffold that she was innocent.

In the Masterton murder case, in which Sommerville shot A. Herbert some few months back, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the grounds of insanity. Mr Jellicoe was for the defence.

An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and applicants for new shares in the Opunake Wharf Company is to be held on Wednesday week for the purpose of approving plans for the re-erection of the jetty. On Wednesday last, Arbor Day, about a hundred trees were planted in the school i ounds. Messrs Callender, O’Brien, and Brennan, members of committee, put in an appearance. Mr Eason also assisted, as well as about a dozen of the school boys.

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